Montresor Intrigue

Edgar Allan Poe was a figure who is known for his dark and grisly tales. His name conjures images of dark nights, graveyards, and ghoulish beings lurking in the dark. He became an inspiration for writers such as H.P. Lovecraft and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle from his writings that pioneered what would be considered new genres of writing, though he is most widely known for his short stories and poetry of the darker nature (Thomas, n.d.). Knowing Poe’s style and what he is known or, “The Cask of Amontillado” is the best short story due to the emotions it evokes. It gives you a character that intrigues and it has a writing style the immerses the reader into the story. The story starts out with the main character, Montresor, not being introduced
The reader is given no background on the history between Montresor and Fortunato, except for Montresor’s claim that he was wronged. Despite being thrown into the story after it has already started, the reader is immediately absorbed with the way that Montresor manipulates and plays Fortunato for his own nefarious purpose. The reader can easily imagine the scene as Fortunato is led down through the catacombs, the dark and enclosed space with the old bones piled high around them, creating an atmosphere of dread. The reader can imagine the juxtaposition of Fortunato being led through the frightening scene while the bells are jingling merrily upon his costume. Poe is the master of suspense, intrigue, and the macabre. “The Cask of Amontillado” is a shining example of why he was not lost in the annals of history despite never achieving true fame during his time, but is instead still celebrated as a master of his craft and an influence to modern authors. “The Cask of Amontillado” not only stands on its own for why it’s the best short story through its use of reaching out to the reader’s emotions, but the manner in which the characters captivates the reader. This makes it a timeless classic that will always continue to engage the reader in this